If my slaughter be what they desire, let them put off their
rancours and stand From between us and leave her to deal
with me and my life at her guise;
For, I wot, not so deadly are they, when they set on a foe with
their swords, As the eyes of the fair with the mole, when
her glances upon us she plies.
At this she sighed deeply and signing to him again, repeated the
following verses:
'Tis thou that hast trodden the road of aversion and coyness; not
I Vouchsafe me the promised delight, for the time of
fulfilment draws nigh.
O thou that mak'st morning to dawn with the lustre and light of
thy brows And eke, with thy brow-locks unloosed, the night
to sink down from the sky,
Thou hast, with an idol's asp?ct, seduced me and made me thy
slave And hast stirred me up troubles galore in many a
season past by.
And yet it is just that my heart with the ardour of passion
should burn, For the fire is their due who adore aught other
than God the Most High.
Thou sellest the like of myself for nothing, yea, free, without
price; If needs thou must sell, and no help, take a price,
then, of those that would buy.
When he heard this, he said to her, 'Wilt thou come to my lodging
or shall I go with thee to thine?' At this, she hung her head
bashfully and repeated the words of the Most High, 'Men shall
have precedence over women, for that God hath preferred these
over those.
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